Advanced stats are a good tool, but are dependent on the actual events on the court. There are many causal factors beyond the player, that affect stats.

For instance, playing against the bench vs playing against starters, how well your team is doing, how your coach plays you, with whom the coach plays you, your role on the team, whether you get benched quick for playing bad or are allowed to play through mistakes, which option on offense are you, etc.

Listen Amir is the best player on this team stat wise. But 5 amirs on this team will not help us win. Amir getting 48 minutes wont help us win. There are so many more factors in basketball, stop narrowing your mind to ONLY stats.

Thats a bold statement with nothing to back you up on it. Valanciunas is easily more skilled in every category, he's the leader in rebounds for rookies. Better FT shooter, Shooter in general, Way better hands, nice hook shot, moves his feet on D, and works his tail off on both ends.

Free throws are Drummonds' achilles heel. Apart from that, he has a PER of 22.34. That's higher than Lillard, MKG, and every other rookie except Anthony Davis.

Bargnani played fabulous offense, he looked like he gave a shit, and the first night he truly shows up, no one else does minus JV (effort was there but unfortunately got owned by Drummond on the glass and I am not sure about playing a rookie 7fter when he is noticeably limping, but I'm sure trainers and JV knew best). I don't include Lowry because he continues to make really bad decisions.

I'm glad Lowry took that shot at the end. When he played hero ball there, I was actually happy. Not with the outcome of course, but he's the only guy in my opinion capable to take a shot like that. We haven't had a guy like that since Vince, and although Lowry struggled a bit, I'd always want the ball in his hands at the end of the game to make a play, even if it was for himself.

We were talking about Lowry being an alpha dog in the off season. This is what alpha dogs do. They want the ball when the game is on the line.

What ticks me off is how easily Knight was able to score for them to take the lead. We were like Moses parting the red seas. How hard would it be to clog the damn paint.

I'm glad Lowry took that shot at the end. When he played hero ball there, I was actually happy. Not with the outcome of course, but he's the only guy in my opinion capable to take a shot like that. We haven't had a guy like that since Vince, and although Lowry struggled a bit, I'd always want the ball in his hands at the end of the game to make a play, even if it was for himself.

We were talking about Lowry being an alpha dog in the off season. This is what alpha dogs do. They want the ball when the game is on the line.

What ticks me off is how easily Knight was able to score for them to take the lead. We were like Moses parting the red seas. How hard would it be to clog the damn paint.

I do like Lowry, very much in fact. I also love the fact he has humongous testicles and is not afraid to be 'the guy'.

What I don't like is the decisions in close games and/or the number of attempts to be the man.

Maybe I'm splitting hairs but this is what I'd like to see:

1) Less frequency of hero ball. If he is doing it 8-10 times a game cut it back to under 5. Every time in a close game trying to be the one to make it happen on your own, is not the best way to play. This leads in to #2:

2) Be the man and step up within the team framework. Instead of taking the big shot in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock, work the ball around and hope it comes back with a better opportunity to make something happen, after the defense has rotated a couple of times and they are more tired and less focused. Maybe this is more poor coaching/play calling/lack of faith in teammates (not just in Lowry) to work together for a better shot. Who knows.

Lowry is going to take shots like that. We have to live with it, because the alpha mentality is what makes him good at the other aspects of the game. We shouldn't have let it come to a final shot. I agree with Matt though, I'd like to see the Hero shots cut down a bit. I think that we need a good offensive assistant coach, because I don't think Casey can handle it.

I was expecting 37 wins or so this season. If we play .500 the rest of the year we'll get that. In order for that to occur, last night needs to have been a turning point for Bargnani and we need to do something to address the SF spot. At this point I'd like to see Kleiza start, because he can't possibly be worse than our "lockdown defender" Dominic "I can shoot" Mcguire. Really, we need to move Amir or ED as part of a package for help on the wing.

Lowry is going to take shots like that. We have to live with it, because the alpha mentality is what makes him good at the other aspects of the game. We shouldn't have let it come to a final shot. I agree with Matt though, I'd like to see the Hero shots cut down a bit. I think that we need a good offensive assistant coach, because I don't think Casey can handle it.

I was expecting 37 wins or so this season. If we play .500 the rest of the year we'll get that. In order for that to occur, last night needs to have been a turning point for Bargnani and we need to do something to address the SF spot. At this point I'd like to see Kleiza start, because he can't possibly be worse than our "lockdown defender" Dominic "I can shoot" Mcguire. Really, we need to move Amir or ED as part of a package for help on the wing.